Lift Thine Eyes (Mendelssohn)

Lift Thine eyes, O lift Thine eyes,
to the mountains, whence cometh,
whence cometh, whence cometh help.

Thy help cometh from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved.

Thy Keeper will never slumber,
will never slumber, never slumber.

Lift Thine eyes, O lift Thine eyes,
to the mountains, whence cometh,
whence cometh, whence cometh help.
whence cometh, whence cometh,
whence cometh help.

Composer: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)

Love is his word

1. Love is his word, Love is his way,
Feasting with kin, fasting alone,
Living and dying, rising again
Love only love is his way.

Refrain:

Richer than gold
Is the love of my Lord.
Better than splendour and wealth.

2. Love is his way, love is his mark,
Sharing his last Passover feast.
Christ at the table, host to the Twelve
Love, only love, is his mark.

3. Love is his mark, love is his sign,
Bread for our strength,
wine for our joy,
This is my body, this is my blood
Love, only love is his sign.

4. Love is his sign, love is his news,
Do this he said Lest you forget
All my deep sorrow, all my dear blood,
Love, only love, is his news.

5. Love is his news, Love is his name,
We are his own, chosen and called,
Family, brethren, cousins and kin.
Love, only love is his name.

6. Love is his name, love is his law,
Hear his command, all who are his,
Love one another, I have loved you
Love, only love, is his law.

7. Love is his law, Love is his word,
Love of the Lord, Father, and Word,
Love of the Spirit, God ever one,
Love, only love, is his word.

Text: Luke Connaughton (1917-1979)
Tune: CRESSWELL 8.8.9.7 + Refrain

O grâce magnifique (Taizé)

O grâce magnifique,
Dont Dieu seul est l'auteur:
Jésus, son Fils unique,
Est notre Rédempteur!
Etoile matinale
Qui n'a pas son égale
Dans tout le firmament!

O grâce mémorable
Qu'on adore à genoux:
Dieu même est favorable
Aux pécheurs tels que nous!
Au ciel et sur la terre,
Qui pourra nous soustraire
A l'éternel amour?

O grâce salutaire,
Ta force nous confond!
D'un aussi grand mystère,
Qui peut voir jusqu'au fond?
Grâce incompréhensible,
Lumière inaccessible,
Abîme de bonté!

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

Jésus Christ, ô clarté d'en haut (Свете тихий / Φῶς ἱλαρὸν / Taizé)

Jésus Christ, ô clarté d'en haut,
radieux reflet des gloires du Dieu saint,
Lumière qui viens du ciel éclairer nos sentiers!
Le crépuscule vient, paisible,
le soir sera descen du bientôt sur nous,
Lumière éternelle, nous t'adorons! Gloire à toi, Père saint!
Dieu de clarté, à Jésus ton Fils, au Saint-Esprit.
Nos louanges s'élèvent vers toi, alléluia! Amen.

Φῶς ἱλαρὸν ἁγίας δόξης ἀθανάτου Πατρός, 
οὐρανίου, ἁγίου, μάκαρος,
Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλίου δύσιν,
ἰδόντες φῶς ἐσπερινόν, ὑμνοῦμεν Πατέρα,
Υἱόν, καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, Θεόν.
Ἄξιόν σε ἐν πᾶσι καιροῖς ὑμνεῖσθαι φωναῖς αἰσίαις,
Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ζωὴν ὁ διδούς· διὸ ὁ κόσμος σὲ δοξάζει.

Свете тихий святыя славы,
Безсмертнаго, Отца Небеснаго,
Святаго Блаженнаго, Иисусе Христе!
Пришедше на запад солнца,
видевше свет вечерний, поем Отца,
Сына и Святаго Духа, Бога. Достоин еси
во вся времена пет быти гласы преподобными,
Сыне Божий, живот даяй, темже мир Тя славит.

Jesus Christ, joyful light
of the immortal Father's divine glory in heaven,
the holy and blessed one!
Coming to the hour of sunset,
in the light of evening we sing to the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, our God. Your are worthy
at all times to be praised by the songs of holy voices,
Son of God, giver of life: the universe sings your glory.

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

2000 Carols from King's at King's College, Cambridge

The 2000 Carols from King's at King's College, Cambridge.

Hymn - Once in royal David’s city
Bidding Prayer
Carol - Quem pastores laudavere (arr. John Rutter)
Carol - In dulci jubilo (R.L. Pearsall)
First reading
Carol - Angels from the realms of glory (arr. Philip Ledger)
Carol - In the bleak mid-winter (Harold Darke)
Second reading
Carol - Quittez, pasteurs (arr. Stephen Cleobury)
Hymn - While shepherds watched
Third reading
Carol - Silent night (arr. Stephen Cleobury)
Carol - The Shepherd's Carol (Bob Chilcott)
Fourth reading
Carol - The Angels and the Shepherds (arr. C.H. Trevor)
Carol - Riu, riu, chiu (Mateo Flecha the elder)
Hymn - O little town of Bethlehem
Fifth reading - Luke 2
Carol - The Shepherds' Farewell (Hector Berlioz)
Carol - I wonder as I wander (Carl Rutti)
Sixth reading
Carol - No small wonder (Paul Edwards)
Carol - Sussex Carol (arr. David Willcocks)
Seventh reading
Carol - Gloria in excelsis Deo (Thomas Weelkes)
Hymn - God rest ye merry gentlemen
Blessing
Hymn - Hark! the herald-angels sing
Voluntary - Vom Himmel hoch BWV 606 (JS Bach)
.
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, directed by Stephen Cleobury
Organ Scholars: Daniel Hyde & Benjamin Byle

See also: King's College, Cambridge's Carols from King's from previous years.

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge's recent CD release: Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols

Dieu fidèle, Dieu très bon (Taizé)

1. Dieu fidèle, Dieu très bon,
Dieu sauveur, gloire à ton nom !
Jésus vient briser nos fers,
Et les cieux nous sont ouverts.

2. Des peuples qui l'attendaient,
Des saints qui le prédisaient
Les vœux sont enfin remplis:
Dieu nous a donné son Fils.

3. Sois le bienvenu, Seigneur,
Viens habiter dans mon cœurs :
Possèdele désormais
Pour y régner à jamais.

4. O toi qui laissant le ciel
pris pour nous un corps mortel
Viens Jésus, régner en moi
et que je demeure en toi.

5. Je veux t'aimer ici-bas,
jusqu'à l'heure où tu viendras
rassembler ton people élu
qui t'appartient, ô Jésus.

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

Hymn Do Trójcy Świętej (Hymn to the Holy Trinity / Christopher Tin)

Już słońce wschodzi ogniste
Ty jedność, światło wieczyste
W sercach naszych, Trójco Święta
Rozlej miłość niepojętą
Ciebie my z rana wielbimy
Ciebie wieczorem prosimy
Racz to sprawić byśmy Ciebie
Z Świętymi chwalili w niebie.
Ojcu razem i Synowi
świętemu także duchowi
Jak była, tak niechaj wszędzie
Wieczna chwała zawsze będzie.
Amen

You are the unity, eternal light
In our Hearts, Holy Trinity
spread the inconceivable love.
We adore you in the morning
we beg you in the evening
bring us to you
with the Saints in heaven adored.
Together Father and Son
and the Holy Spirit
As there was, and ever will be
Eternal Glory, always and forever. Amen

From the album, Calling All Dawns

Composer: Christopher Tin (2009)